The Progress. [volume] (White Earth, Minn.) 1886-1889, 1887-10-22
THE INDIAN QUESTION.

Under the above head we quote
from an able editorial which ap.
peared in the columns of the St.
Paul Globe, in connection with
the, recent work Of the U. S. Sen
ate Investigating Committee,
sha.wing the good Judgment and
sense of the gentlemen composing
the Hon. Committee, and not as
stated in several local papers and
as narrow minded persons were
pleased to credit and allude to as
a grand farce "a junket,'' and
a 'rebuking committee, 'whiskey
soakers,' etc; we only hope it's
it's results and final decision NAV
be as answering as were the mo-
tives that prompted it's origin.
"As rule the commissions ap-
pointed by Congress to investigate
affairs never amount to much from
the simple fact that the members
of the commission generally make
a junketing trip to the Indian res
ervations where they look around
for day or two and then go back
to Washington with no more in
telligent understanding of Indian
affairs than when they started out.
1t was, therefore, an unusual, but
none the less sensible plan, that
Senator Dawes and Morgan adopt.
ed when they stopped over in St.
Paul and tarried long enough to
inform themselves of the condition
Of affairs at White Earth, before
going up to the reservation. The
witnesses called before the com.
mission were gentlemen who hnow
more Of Indian character, and Of
the Minnesota tribes in particular,
than perhaps any other person
living. They are gentlemen who
not only heve a thorough and in.
telligent knowledge Of matters
pertaining to the Indian question,
-btssthey have always exhibited "a
kindly interest in the welfare Of
the Indian. :
No two men are more capable
OF giving WIS., COUNSEL concerning
the future government Of the In
d1ans, or whose opinions on Indian
afairs are more valuable than ex-
Governor Gen. II. sH. SIBLY and
ex-senator H. M. RICE. \
With the information that the
Dawes committee has gained in
advance Of its going upon the re.
seiVation, and the confirmation Of
it's correctness they will have BY
the things they will see when they
get there, it is to be hoped that
for once Congress will have laid
before it. a report so thorough il
it's details, and so intelligent in its
scope, that there will be no diff
Guilty in carrying into effect an In
dian policy that will forever re-
move the Indian as a troublesome
factor IN our national administers
tions.
To which, we say Amen And
at the same time we hope, that in
the carrying out Of such an In
dian policy, Congress may also see
that a PRELIMINARY form Of govern
nent be instituted, whose prime
features may be the guarantee Of
home, property, life and ibeg!.gs
te our people and voice in the
nfsnage ut Of our Reservation
affairs, and thereby not ouly ire
moving the Indian as a trouble
some factor but also salutary
measure IN removing troublesome
and INSCRIPTIONS official infuen-
ees and foreign elements from
the reservation, and who might
otherwise, find harbor III the gra-
|ces Of the national administra-
lions. lis fair to opine that to
The latter causes, the physic Of re-
|form should be administered, and
although there would, undoubted-.
|edly be, wailing and crashing Of
teeth, it would be within narrow
Limits, and the result generally.
would SAVIOR of peace and prosperi-
Ety.
18th books, as with companions,
Eit is Of more consequence TO know
which ITO avoid than which to
|choose;for good books are as scarce